Stop Leading Alone—Start Following First

Why every entrepreneur needs to follow Christ before leading others

Photo by Milad Fakurian on Unsplash

Are you a rule-follower, a rule-bender, or a rule-breaker at heart—and what is it costing your leadership?

Do you naturally play it safe and comply, or do you find yourself resisting and leaning toward the contrarian side?

Do you feel most alive when you’re following a clear plan—or when you’re the one creating the plan, taking charge, and inviting others to follow your lead?

Do you think inside the box, work outside the box, or quietly wonder whether the box should exist in the first place?

As a Christ-following entrepreneur, how do you resolve the very real tension between leading boldly and humbly following the One who leads you?

Entrepreneur.com often revisits the question, “What are the traits of successful entrepreneurs?” Different experts offer different lists: determined, risk-taker, confident, learner. After a while, it all starts to sound the same.

Yet there is solid research behind the traits of entrepreneurs and those who think like them. People best suited for entrepreneurship often show resilience, tenacity, passion, comfort with uncertainty, vision, self-confidence, flexibility, curiosity, and risk tolerance.

Being an entrepreneur is about seeing the world differently and choosing a path that most people would never consider.

If you’re like me, you probably don’t like asking for help and prefer to solve problems on your own—even when you know that’s not always the best approach.

Entrepreneurs naturally think differently. We value independence, question the status quo, and constantly look for better ways to do things. That’s how we get things done, innovate, and hope to make a lasting difference—but it can also make us resistant to following anyone’s lead, even God’s.

Here’s the challenge: before we can lead well, we have to learn how to follow well—and if we’re honest, sometimes we’d rather lead from the front than follow from our knees.

Every great leader was once a great follower.

As a Christian entrepreneur, it can be hard to truly answer Christ’s call to “Follow me.” Throughout my career, I’ve wanted a mentor, paid for coaching, and joined groups of business leaders to find people who understand me—yet I’ve learned that no human guide can replace the voice of the Shepherd.

Our stubbornness often hides as pride. We want to lead, not follow. We’re convinced there’s a better way, so we push to make it happen on our own terms—and exhaust ourselves trying to build our vision without the help of the Great Architect of Creation.

The best leaders begin as faithful followers. Jesus followed his Father’s will and was obedient to the end. It’s easy to talk about his obedience; it’s much harder to live it in the boardroom, the budget, and in our everyday decisions. That kind of obedience requires submission, discipline, and deep, daily commitment.

“Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.” (Psalm 37:5)

Before you chase another mentor, hire another coach, or join another group, follow the Shepherd first. God has already given you everything you need to run your business, solve problems, and make a difference. Let him help you. Don’t let stubbornness—or fear of surrender—hold you back.

Psalm 37:5 reminds us to commit everything to him—not just our personal lives, but our strategies, goals, clients, and teams. When we trust him, he promises to help us.

We often believe we’re more sophisticated and smarter than we really are. We may work hard and be gifted, but we are still God’s children—and he is the one who calls, equips, and ultimately measures our success.

A truly good leader is never afraid to be a faithful follower—especially when following Christ means leading differently, building differently, and trusting him with the results.

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